THE ATTENDANT PYG^BA. 429 



In the remarks preceding the description of Notodonta con- 

 cinna, mention was made of two kinds of caterpillars, living 

 in great numbers on fruit- 

 trees in the latter part of 

 summer. The second kind 

 (Fig. 212) are now to be 

 described. They grow to a 

 greater size, are longer in coming to their growth, their 

 swarms are more numerous, and consequently they do much 

 more injury, than the red-humped kind. Entire branches 

 of the apple-trees are frequently stripped of their leaves 

 by them, and are loaded with these caterpillars in thickly 

 crowded swarms. The eggs from which they are hatched 

 will be found in patches, of about a hundred together, 

 fastened to the under side of leaves near the ends of the 

 twigs. Some of them begin to be hatched about the 20th of 

 July, and new broods make their appearance in succession 

 for the space of a month or more. At first they eat only 

 the under side and pulpy part of the leaves, leaving the 

 upper side and veins untouched ; but afterwards they con- 

 sume the whole of the leaves except their stems. 



These caterpillars are sparingly covered with soft whitish 

 hairs ; the young ones are brown, and striped with white ; 

 but, as they grow older, their colors become darker every 

 time they cast their skins. They come to their full size in 

 about five weeks or a little more, and then measure from 

 an inch and three quarters to two inches and a quarter in 

 extent. The head is large and of a black color ; the body 

 is nearly cylindrical, with a spot on the top of the first ring, 

 and the legs dull orange-yellow, a black stripe along the top 

 of the back, and three of the same color alternating with 



7 O 



four yellow stripes on each side. The posture of these cat- 

 erpillars, when at rest, is very odd ; both extremities are 

 raised, the body being bent, and resting only on the four 

 intermediate pairs of legs. If touched or otherwise dis- 

 turbed, they throw up their heads and tails with a jerk, at 



